Their Story
by anime freakgrl
Summary: The HieiXHotaru side story of Help Me Find My voice. Here we descover how it eactly happened between the two
1. Her Story

It was a small clan, but it was still hers. Hotaru was raised by the demons of this clan, even though they weren't her own kind. In fact no one was of the same demon species in this clan. It was made up of rejected or orphan demons, just like herself. Unwanted by their own kind they managed to find a home in each other. It was surprising to find demons forming clans outside their own kind, but there was an exception in this case, because for some unknown reason they got along just fine.

Hotaru was found as an infant at the rivers bed, wet and shivering. Since she was a fire demon the water had made her weak and she should have died if a member of this reject clan, a wolf demon, hadn't found her.

By the age of three Hotaru had come into her firepowers, which was unusual since most demons don't get their real abilities until they are six-teen. By the time she was five she had gone on her first hunt and caught her first prey.

Even though she didn't know why she had been abandoned she was happy. The clan had many children to play with, either orphans or children who were pushed away by their own kind. Growing up in this clan she and the other children grew up oblivious to the world outside the clan, until that day came.

It was a bright day considering demon world standards. Hotaru was twelve, and playing with her friends in a nearby stream. It was a small group of six; three boys and three girls. Nina, the youngest around seven, turned towards where the clan had set up camp for the night.

"Someone is screaming," she said quietly and the others stopped their playing to strain their ears to hear what the girl was talking about. Nina was a bobcat demon, and had been thrown away by her family when there were to many mouths to feed and decided to get rid of the runt. She had orange hair at shoulders length and red eyes that had a golden outline around them. Makoto, the oldest of fifth-teen, looked in the direction of the camp. Makoto was half water demon and half hawk, and had been thrown away because he shouldn't exist. He had brown hair with blue streaks in it that didn't go past his ears, aqua eyes, and cerulean markings on his face.

"There it is again," Nina said worriedly, "Can you see anything Makoto?"

"Yes," he answered, "we need to go help them, we're under attack!"

They all broke into a run towards the camp. Hotaru desperately trying to dry herself of so she could use her fire abilities. However, before they could reach the camp the children were being pushed in the other direction.

"Emiko!" Hotaru said shocked. Emiko was the wolf demon that had saved Hotaru from dying, and all the children looked to her as their own mother.

"Run," she panted. Twigs began to snap behind them, each snap getting closer and closer.

"RUN!" Emiko yelled pushing the children ahead and turning to face whoever or whatever was after them. The children bumped into each other as they ran.

They should've just stayed with Emiko. Demons from outside the clan came into view and through weapons and other forms of attacks at them. Hotaru now desperately tried to dry her hands, since she was the only one who had her true powers. Nina could hear distant sounds, heal quickly, and had claws and fangs but that was about it. Makoto could see far distances, levitate, and wasn't a half bad fighter but couldn't do much more. There were fraternal tiger twins, Kyo and Hana, but they could only use their claws and fangs. Even Koki, who was the strongest next to Hotaru, was useless. He was a fox demon and was strong, fast, had claws, fangs, and had learned to use each thing to his advantage, but when he charged at the demons he was thrown back into a tree.

"Koki!" they all yelled worried for their friend. But they should've worried about themselves, like normal demons do. One by one they were captured by the demons.

Hotaru ran trying to escape, as sparks began to come from her hand.

"Come on!" she yelled desperately as each of her friends were captured. Flames surrounded her hands and Hotaru smiled slightly Charging at the demons she managed to kill two and injure three. But there were still some left and more kept coming.

Her friends crowded around her as more demons appeared. Koki and Makoto stood ready to fight. Nets were thrown over them and they were entangled in the massive web. Hotaru would have burnt through the nets, but with the others inside she didn't want to hurt them. She felt a hand grab her by the throat and pull her out.

"Save that one," one of the demons said. Hotaru felt shackles being put around each of her limbs. She tried to escape, but pain shot through her body whenever she tried.

"Kill the others, but save those two." Hotaru looked beside her and saw Nina also in shackles beside her.

Hotaru covered Nina's eyes as she watched her friends be killed one by one in the most painful way possible. When the demons had finished her friends were unrecognizable, their bodies mutilated. The demons forced them to walk; Hotaru still covered Nina's eyes afraid she would look back.

"Let go," one of the demons said smacking Hotaru's hand away from Nina. Nina blinked and started to turn her head back but Hotaru stopped her.

"Don't look back Nina," she said sternly. Nina nodded sadly and went with the demons, who were pulling their chains to move. They were led back to where the clan had set up their camp. Hotaru told Nina quickly to look only at the sky, as unrecognizable bodies came into her line of vision. Hotaru looked and saw demons standing with more members of the clan shackled, one in particular stuck out.

"Emiko!" Emiko looked up at the sound of her name. Her black hair was matted and her face was bleeding, her eyes looked defeated. Hotaru looked at the women who had raised her as if she were her own and fought back tears after seeing her in such a sad state.

Hotaru was quickly silenced by one of the demons after her outburst. Emiko looked at her and Hotaru knew that look was telling her to be quiet and not to struggle. She hung her head in defeat as the demons led them away, pulling their chains to make them hurry up. Where exactly they were going was still a mystery.


	2. The Long Road Ahead

For a week they had been forced to walk, still unsure about where they were going. Several women had died already from dehydration and wound infection. Their captors treated them poorly; they received no food, no water, and no rest.

The constant walking had begun to take its toll on Emiko, Hotaru, and Nina as the demons cracked their whips along their backs, forcing them to walk faster. Nina started to cry as one of the demons hit her particularly hard.

"Nina stop crying," Emiko said sharply but quietly. Nina sniffed and stopped her tears instantly. Hotaru reached her hand back and gripped Nina's in hers. The chains restricted their movements so this was the only way Hotaru could confer her. They both moved at a faster pace, Emiko following behind them the demon cracking their whips moved also.

As the never ending road continued the three began to depend more on each other to stay alive. And their dependency grew when Emiko's head wound had worsened causing her to fall ill. If the demons found out about her being sick they would surely kill her, and it wouldn't be a painless death either.

"Emiko, you ok?" Hotaru asked, all three trying to keep the same pace so not to look suspicious.

"I'll be alright, I just wish I could stop and rest for a bit."

"Guys their coming," Nina said quietly. All three shut their mouths looking like they had never opened their mouths.

"Hurry up!" one of the demons yelled striking Emiko hard in the back. Emiko let out a cry of pain and fell to the ground.

"Emiko!" Nina yelled only to have a demon silence her with a crack of his whip.

"I think this ones sick," the same demon said kicking Emiko with his foot.

"Then get rid of her then, we can't have her infecting the rest of them."

"NO," Nina yelled, "No she's not sick, she's not sick." Nina's desperate screams and attempts to reach Emiko were pointless, Hotaru knew that. She had seen Emiko's condition out of the corner of her eye and it wasn't good. It was a miracle they hadn't noticed her earlier. She knew that her adopted mother was going to die and there was nothing she could do.

"Get up," the demon said to Emiko kicking her again this time in the head. Emiko struggled to get up and the demon unchained her and dragged her by her hair to her grave as Nina desperately continued to plead for Emiko to be spared. Hotaru was so torn on the inside of wanting to do something but knowing it wouldn't change anything. A scream and a bright light broke her from her thoughts. Nina was on the ground streams of tears falling down her face as the demon returned blood drenching his hands. Hotaru stood numb not ready to accept the fact that the person she considered a mother was truly dead.

"Nina, get up," she said quietly but sternly. Nina got up and glared up at her.

"How could you! You didn't even try to save her!" Nina yelled. The demons watched with mild interest as the young girl yelled her lungs out.

"What would you have liked me to do Nina? Yell, scream, or cry maybe. Like you did, and we all saw how that worked out," Hotaru said coolly. She already felt bad about being helpless in her friends time of need, she didn't need Nina's help in order to feel guilty.

"At least I tried to do something. You could've stopped them."

"How would you have liked me to do that, use my powers which are being cut off by these damn chains?! Or maybe I should've taken her place!"

The demons growing tired of the argument silenced the two with a quick cracking of their whips. Hotaru saw Nina and the hurt she had in her eyes, but it wasn't from being hit by the whips. Hotaru then began to understand the kind of hell they were going to be put through.


	3. Why

The rest of their journey Hotaru went through in a haze as she began to shut down, becoming nothing more than an empty shell. It seemed that she wasn't the only one who had begun to behave this way, many women who had been taken were losing faith that they would ever be saved. After seeing so many friends die it was hard to believe that some still saw a glimmer of hope.

There was still a question that entered Hotaru's mind as she found herself lost in every corner of her mind.

_Why?_

Why had these demons taken her and her family from their homes? What were they going to do to them once they arrived at their final destination? And would she live to tell about it?

"Hotaru?" came a quiet voice. Hotaru looked up, her eyes slightly glazed over. She was sitting in a jail cell; she hadn't realized that till Nina had called her attention.

"Hotaru I'm sorry about me getting so upset, I know there really was nothing you could've done and I'm sorry I acted like it was your fault."

Hotaru looked at Nina as her eyes came more into focus. Nina, she was still alive, she was still with her. Hotaru felt a tiny flicker, happiness? Yes that had to be it, she was happy, why? She knew that she wasn't alone, and that gave her the strength she need to get her mind back.

"I know," she replied, her voice cracking from lack of use.

"What do you think they're gonna do to us?" Nina asked snuggling as close as she could get to Hotaru with her shackles on.

"I don't know Nina, but I don't think I want to."

Days passed and their captures began to give them proper nutrition. Hotaru wondered what had brought on this sudden change, but none of them complained. As their stomachs were filled their wounds were treated as well, but why? Hotaru kept an eye on the demons during her next examination. They checked her over to make sure she was healthy and the two demons in charge of the procedure began mumbling back and forth, Hotaru straining her ears to catch what they were saying.

"Seems alright… boss should be pleased… yeah should make a good profit of this one."

_Profit?_ Hotaru thought to herself,_ what the hell does that mean?_

She told Nina what she had overheard and the pair began to put together the pieces of the puzzle. Nothing came to their minds, and the girls soon grew frustrated. Why would they care about a profit and how healthy they were? Then it clicked, Hotaru gasped as she came to her conclusion on the fifth day of her spy work.

"What if they were going to sell us?"

"What?! Don't be crazy Hotaru."

"Just hear me out ok," Hotaru said trying to put into words for Nina to understand better, "It all fits, they weeded those out who wouldn't live long under poor conditions, then they make sure were healthy when we get here. No one would want to buy us it we aren't healthy, we won't last long."

"But what could they sell us for?" Nina asked trying to get Hotaru away from her crazy idea.

"A slave of some sort I would guess," Hotaru said. Nina shook her head, it made sense, but she couldn't see anybody being that cruel, demon or not. Hotaru looked at her young friend; she needed to learn how cruel the world really could be, unlike their home. If Nina's parents could get rid of her when she was just a baby and so could Hotaru's who knew what these demons were capable of. It was time for Nina to grow up and fast, or it could mean the end for her.


	4. Mystery Girl

Hotaru woke with a start as the demons were yelling for them all to get up. Struggling through her grogginess she managed to get up and find Nina.

"What's going on?" Nina asked, scared slightly as the demons put chains through the hole in their shackles.

Hotaru was unable to answer as they were being forced to walk, whips cracking over their heads. They were led into a dark tunnel; the only light came from the end, which appeared to be no more than a speck to Hotaru.

"Hotaru I'm scared," Nina said as her eyes filled with tears. Hotaru grabbed her hand and squeezed it like she had on their long journey to this hell hole. She was just as scared, but allowing herself to panic in this kind of situation was out of the question. She needed to stay strong for her and for Nina's sakes.

They reached the end of the tunnel and what awaited them on the other side was unimaginable. There was a large stage in front of them, steps were there so they would be able to climb up onto it and a large podium stood in the center. All the women were given a number; Hotaru was twelve, while Nina's was twenty. Hotaru could hear a large number of voices talking on the other side of the stage and her stomach was doing flips. She prayed that she was wrong that they weren't taken from their homes only to go from one hell to another as a slave.

A man appeared on the stage a figure following behind him. All voices were silent as the man reached his spot at the podium, the figure sitting on the floor on the side closest to Hotaru.

"Welcome gentlemen to the tenth auction of the Black Black Club. Today we will be featuring some lovely new women for your enjoyment. First up is number one, Yume. Yume is a horse demon and she is…"

Hotaru felt her body go numb, she was right. This was some sick auction for men and their own enjoyment. She felt Nina tense beside her and could hear her starting to cry. Finally they both came to the realization that this would be the last time they would ever see each other.

The auction seemed to last forever as Hotaru waited for her number to be called. She could feel her own eyes swelling up with her own tears. She didn't want to be sold into some sick form of slavery; she didn't want Nina who was still a child to have to suffer as well. She didn't want her friends and family to be taken from her forever, but it was happening and there was nothing she could do about it.

"And now we have number eleven," came the auctioneer's voice.

_One more number,_ she thought, _one more number and this will all be over._ Her mind was beginning to become hazy as her mind began to shut down

"Hotaru," Nina said dragging her back from the dark corners of her mind. Hotaru's head shot up just as her number was called. Demons shoved her onto the stage and she was forced to look at the hundreds of men, humans and demons, all looking at her hungrily.

"Number twelve is Hotaru, a fire demon…"

Hotaru tried to look somewhere other than what was before her. She looked over at the man running the horrible event and then looked down at the figure, her mouth almost dropping. There was a girl; she couldn't have been any older than Nina. She had long black hair and cerulean eyes, her body was battered and bruised, dried blood clung to her body. The girl looked up and over at Hotaru, her eyes seemed almost empty, but there was still something there. The girl smiled at her as if to say, "I'm sorry you have to suffer too."

"SOLD! To Yuki the water demon!"

Hotaru barley felt the demons carrying her off the stage to her new master, her eyes transfixed on the girl next to the man at the podium.

_I wish,_ Hotaru thought to herself, _we could've met under different circumstances._ And as if response the girl nodded her head in agreement.

A/N: I'm sorry about the long over due update, but im going to try updating weekly! But as an apology i give you three chapters all within one week. Please forgive and review!


	5. Welcome to Hell

Hotaru felt her body moving as she was walking yet again, but this time she was alone. Completely and utterly alone. There was no Nina, no Emiko, not even the mystery girl. Yuki dragged her by her enchanted chains across the country until they reached some strange cave, which Hotaru assumed was his home. It had a little door and everything.

"Welcome," Yuki said wickedly, "to your new home."

Hotaru looked around and saw that most of his home consisted of maps and charts. She looked at one, it was a map of a sea, but why would he have something like that?"You like my work?" he said watching her movements hungrily; "I've spent the past year searching for a very special weapon that I think could help me become supreme."

_A demon in search of power_, Hotaru thought, _how shocking._

Hotaru felt a chill enter her body as Yuki grabbed her, she resisted but he struck her. Hotaru continued to struggle but it was useless, he won in the end and Hotaru lost something that she would never be able to regain. He laughed when he was finished and left her on the floor, curled into a ball.

"Welcome to your new life Hotaru."

Hotaru lied on the floor for the remainder of the day and night. Her mind in turmoil over what had just happened. He had raped her; she had been sold so she could be raped.

Weeks followed and Yuki continued his new ritual of beating her and taking advantage of her when she was weakened. Hotaru could feel her mind slipping away each time he did this. All she wanted was an escape but she knew that there was none. There would be no salvation in hell, not for her, not for anybody. Her mind began to remember the old days when she was with her family, Emiko made them their meals and Makoto would act like he was the older over protective brother. Nina would go into the fields and bring back a bouquet of flowers for them all to enjoy.

How she missed those times, and if only she could return to them.

"Wake up," came Yuki's voice as he kicked her stomach, "we're leaving."

Hotaru soon learned in the years that followed that Yuki never stayed in one place for too long as he continued his search for the weapon he had mentioned when she had first arrived. The Sword of Sea's, she later learned what it was called, could give a water demon such as him unspeakable powers. Hotaru feared the day he would find the weapon, but she feared the night even more.

On one of their migrating journey's Yuki decided to make camp in the forest. This was the first night since she arrived that he did not use her. Instead he tied her chains to a tree and used his own demonic power to keep her chains from being undone.

"You will sleep outside tonight," Yuki said as he left to go inside his tent, "There isn't enough room for you in here."

And with that he left, leaving Hotaru alone in the woods. Of course she tried to escape, but the wretched chains wouldn't come off or be untied from the tree. Giving up she decided to sleep while she had the time. She found a spot in a grassy area and laid down on her back, her face looking at the sky. There was the moon, a beautiful sight for her to see after being held in a dark room for so long.

"This might be my last time to see it," she said as she fell asleep under the star filled sky. Her dreams of better times and of the mysterious girl.

"You need peace," the girl said.

"What do you mean," Hotaru asked wondering what this young girl was doing in her dream.

"Preserve your mind Hotaru," the girl said, "lock it away until you are saved."

"And what if I am never to be saved?"

"Then you will still have your mind intact when you are freed from your body."

"But how?" Hotaru asked, "How can I do that?"

The girl smiled at her and extended her hand towards her. Hotaru took it and she was led to a large beam of light.

"Follow me," she said, "this is where your mind can live in peace."

Hotaru followed the girl and she felt her mind relax as she was surrounded by paradise. A long beach with many different kinds of fruit trees, and all her friends were there. Emiko held out a piece of watermelon for her.

"We've been waiting for you."

Yuki woke up the following morning and felt something was different. Running outside he saw Hotaru asleep on the ground. He kicked her, his way of telling her to get up. Nothing happened. Again he kicked her, harder and she stirred slightly. Finally he grabbed her hair and forced her to sit up. Slowly her eyes opened and Yuki didn't realize what was going on in her hazed over eyes. The lights were on but nobody was home.

"Let's go," he said coldly as he gathered up his supplies. Hotaru nodded out of instinct, but her mind was at peace in her own little dream world. Only time would tell if she would ever come out of it again.


	6. Salvation

She was at peace, that's all she understood. Time was an imaginable thing; it did not exist to her. That is until she felt a jab in her side.

"What's wrong?" Emiko asked. Hotaru shook her head, something didn't seem right.

"Nothing," she said, returning to the lunch Emiko had made for them all. They sat under a beautify willow tree, a lot like the one that they had camped under when Hotaru was younger. Hotaru took in a breath and nearly choked. Her coughing spasm lasted about two minutes, everyone crowding around her to make sure she was alright.

"What happened?" Nina asked as Hana handed her a glass of water.

"Nothing," Hotaru said taking the water, "wrong tube I guess." But that wasn't the case. Instead of a nice breath of fresh air on a cool summer's day like she had expected, she smelt what might have been expected in a dark dank old cave.

_What's happening?_ Hotaru thought. She looked over at the young girl who sat across from her, she never did learn her name and each time she tried the girl would vanish.

_It's __time,__ they have come for you,_ The girl to her through her mind.

_Time?__For what?__ And who has come for me, I only see us._

_Open your mind __Hotaru,__ you have nothing to fear anymore._

Hotaru looked at the girl as if she were insane, fear what? There was nothing to fear in this place, it was like a paradise, sure they had a few squabbles here and there but that is nothing to be afraid of. Was it?

The ground around her rumbled as if something was falling from the sky and collapsed onto the earth below. Hotaru didn't know why but it reminded her of a cave in, why? She had no clue as to why it would. The others covered huddled together, believing it was an earthquake.

"Hotaru!" Nina yelled motioning for her to come over for her own protection, "Come on!"

Hotaru looked over at the mysterious girl, she nodded at her. Hotaru didn't understand what she was talking about. The earthquake stopped and everyone returned to their meal. Hotaru looked around, nothing seemed to be disturbed, not even a leaf feel from a tree during that. She felt her leg move, but it wasn't her moving.

As if in a dream she felt herself gently fall into blackness. As she regained consciousness she felt pain all over her body as her stomach growled. Slowly she opened her eyes as five blurred figures came into view. As her vision cleared she saw that it wasn't her friends but instead total strangers. She stiffened slightly and her eyes widened in fear, but she quickly hid her fear. If she was back in the land of reality now was not a good time to show her emotions. She had to be strong, she had survived Yuki she would survive these five as well.

"Who are you?" Hotaru asked her voice surprisingly firm despite its lack of use.

"We're here to help you get out of here," a young teenage boy said. He had brown eyes and his black hair was slicked back.

"That doesn't answer my question," Hotaru said angrily, " I asked 'who are you,' not 'why are you here',"

"I'm Nara," the young girl with them said. Hotaru looked and nearly jumped out of her skin, it was the little girl from before, only now she was a teenager. Hotaru was sure of it, she gave of that same aura. "That's Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara."

Hotaru listened as the girl finished her sentence, looking at each face and remembering their names. She had a feeling she would need to know them later. But Nara was the one who stuck out the most to her; could she really be the same little girl from that time? And how long had she been in that little world of hers?

"Who are you?" Nara asked her. Hotaru looked up and felt her fear melt away, there was nothing to fear with this girl there.

"My name is Hotaru," she said looking at the others, they didn't seem to be scary demons who would try to kill her, "Were you really sent to save me?"

"Yep," the boy Nara had called Yusuke said with a smile.

"What are those?" the one called Kuwabara asked. Hotaru saw instantly that this one was the biggest idiot she would ever have to meet.

"Hn, chains," the one called Hiei said.

"I knew what they were; I just meant why are they glowing?"

"Then why didn't you simply ask that?" Hotaru said, not really looking at Kuwabara, she was more interested in Hiei. There was something about him, something she didn't like.

"It doesn't matter what they are, we just need to know how to get them off," Nara said impatiently," Did Yuki have a key to unlock these?"

Hotaru shook her head, she didn't know if he did and if he did she hadn't seen it.

"Maybe Koenma knows how we can get them off since they obviously aren't something we will be able to break off," said Kurama, pulling out a small round object that opened up. It reminded her of one of those makeup contraptions ningen women use. Kurama spoke into it and soon a large round bright object appeared before them. They walked through it, Kurama and Nara carefully helping Hotaru across.

_Am I finally going to be free?_ Hotaru thought.


	7. Author's Note: Shame On Me

Ok I know I didn't update this week and shame on me for not doing that, but I have an excuse! This upcoming week is midterms form me and all this past week my classes have been giving us review packet after review packet, some of my teachers even gave us some take home mid terms (evil smile). So please be patient. Because the following week is Christmas and of course my wonderful manager put me on every single day so who knows what will be happening then, and now I'm rambling when I should be studying for my chemistry midterm which I will probably fail anyways. So please be patient and I hope to see you all review for the up coming chapters.

PS I'm also sorry for getting anyone excited that I updated and it was just me talkin and not the actual story, i hate it when other people do it in their stories and I wish I didn't have to do it in mine, but yet here one is (sigh) I am now ashamed of myself. :(


	8. Shackles

The ones who claimed to be her saviors helped Hotaru through the portal and sat her carefully down in a comfy arm chair in front of a huge desk. The one Nara called Koenma, was the prince of spirit world, Nara had told her who he was and how he might be able to help.

"Being the prince might have given him some knowledge," is what Nara had said. But that didn't reassure Hotaru as Yusuke and Kuwabara were giggling behind them.

Hotaru sighed and waited for Koenma to finish his study of the chains, "Well these are obviously chains to relinquish demon powers. Once these things are on a demon their powers are completely useless and if they do use their powers a wave of pain will go throughout their entire body."

"I could've told you that," Hotaru said feeling like she was wasting her time when she could be free of these damn chains.

"Wait you're a demon?" Nara asked a little surprised.

"A fire demon," Hotaru said matter-of-factly, "But can we speed this up I really want these chains off me."

Koenma pressed a button and a man dressed in a lab coat came into the room. He had blonde hair and had a stethoscope around his neck, bouncing slightly as he walked. Hotaru knew he was a doctor just by the way he smelled, she didn't need the added hints of what he was wearing to help. He smelt too clean for her liking.

"Take this girl here and get these chains off her, then I want you to give her a health inspection and give her some food," Koenma said.

"Yes sir," he said as two nurses came in with a stretcher and put Hotaru on it. They took her into another room where she was asked to give some blood for blood tests and some other physical examinations. Finally when all the tests came back negative the doctor had some food prepared for Hotaru's growling stomach.

"Now try not to pay any attention to me," said the doctor whose name Hotaru later found out was Goro, "I'm going to try and get these chains off."

Hotaru nodded and tried to ignore the man tugging and twisting her shackles. She could feel her skin becoming raw as he continued his persisting pulling and the occasional bang. The first time Hotaru heard the bang she was startled and kicked outwardly with her left foot, which connected with the doctor's face. Hotaru apologized profusely as the doctor sat rubbing his newly possibly broken nose. After treating his injuries he returned to Hotaru's shackles, being more careful not to startle her again.

It was getting late, and Hotaru was tired. She was about to tell Goro to give it a rest until tomorrow when she heard the sound of metal hitting the floor. Her eyes went wide when she felt her legs become lighter.

"Aha!" Goro cried out triumphantly, holding a glowing neon green rod in his hand. Hotaru looked down at her feet, just to make sure it wasn't all just a dream. Her legs looked strange without the usual unwelcomed accessory, she beamed at the now more pleasant look her legs had.

"Thank you so much!" Hotaru said happily hugging the doctor as she walked around the room for the first time without the added weight.

"My pleasure," Goro said returning the strange instrument he had used to what appeared to be a red and green tool box, "How does it feel to have your fire power back?"

Hotaru looked at her hands and flicked her wrists as instant flames surrounded her hands, "Feels good," she replied her smile growing larger. Dr. Goro nodded and left the room leaving Hotaru alone to play with her fire.

It was like Hotaru had been separated from her closest friend and was finally being reunited with them. The fire demon allowed the flames to grow and shrink and even surround her, giving her the warmth and protection it had provided her with long ago. She smirked as she tried out some of her old fighting moves as the warmth brought her back to better days. She noticed her movements were a little rusty as she moved, her fire forming into different weapons, each one she used as if it were extension of her arm. Her body however was weaker from her long years of living with Yuki, so as she stumbled while enjoying the feeling of her newly regained power, she didn't even sense the little prince come into the room now in his teenage form.

"Yo!!" Koenma cried out in alarm as he caught Hotaru, after she nearly singed him, "be careful with that!"

"Sorry," Hotaru said getting back on her feet quickly, "nice catch though."

"Put that out," Koenma said glancing nervously at Hotaru's still lit hands. Hotaru did as she was told and waited for the young prince to speak, "I was wondering if you would like to join the team," Koenma said and looked back at Hotaru's hands, "after your strength returns of course…."

Hotaru looked at Koenma and nodded, "of course," she said, "they saved my life it would be dishonorable for me not to."

"Good," Koenma said with a smile, "I'll call them in tomorrow and tell them. I'm sure you'll feel right at home with them. But until then get some sleep, ok?"

Hotaru nodded and Koenma left. She sighed and laid down on the bed, it was hard to believe that not too long ago she was being held captive by a demented water demon. Her mind began to wonder to the gang and the girl who had saved her. Were they really the same person? That girl from the auction and Nara? And what about this team, what if she didn't like them? More importantly the other little pointy haired fire demon with them, just what was it about him that made her want to gouge her eyes out? Closing her eyes she let her overly active mind go into a more peaceful sleep. It was just as she was falling asleep that she realized just how exhausted she really was.

The next morning Hotaru was given her very own feast for breakfast. Koenma had said she was too thin for his liking so he ordered an especially large meal be prepared for her. Once she had finished she went to Koenma's office.

"Ah good morning Hotaru," Koenma said looking up from a pile of paper work as she entered, "I've just called the rest of the team they should be here shortly, please sit."

She did as he requested and tapped her foot slightly, she didn't like waiting. She felt her heart speed up slightly as she heard the door open and her newest teammates file into the room all looking at her.

"Hotaru has just agreed to join the team," Koenma said happily. Hotaru smiled at the group and stood up to greet them.

"It's the least I can do after you all saved me from Yuki," she said bowing in thanks to them.

"I also want you all to move into the same home, that way we can reach you easier," Koenma said as they all looked at him mouths slightly open.

"And where are we suppose to live?" said the one Hotaru remembered was called Yusuke.

You're all moving in with Genkai, since her land will be all of yours after she passes on," Koenma said, "I already have a team at each of your houses packing your things and moving them into Genkai's."

"What about my mother, how will I explain this to her?" the red head asked. Hotaru knew that his name was Kurama; he seemed to have a hidden power around him, making Hotaru interested in just what it may be.

"Your sixteen, tell her you're moving out for some teenage reason."

"So we don't have pack up anything?" Yusuke asked excitedly.

"I just said I have a team doing that didn't I?"

"I could've pack my own things," Nara said, "I only have a few books and some clothes that Botan lent me."

"Yes well you can return those clothes because I'm giving you and Hotaru money to go buy your own clothes."

Nara and Hotaru looked at each other and smiled, she really wanted to get to know this one in particular in order to confirm her suspicions. Koenma talked to the rest of the team about school, something he wanted them all attend together. Hotaru scowled she didn't really want to go but she knew she needed to so she would be able to figure the strange girl out.

They all left Koenma's office and went to a large staircase. Hotaru looked up at what seemed to be a never ending staircase, the first thought coming to mind was a 'stair way to heaven,' or maybe even hell. All she knew was there were a lot of stairs and she was not looking forward to having to climb them. But alas she was forced to climb as she saw the others had already started.

"Genkai lives up these stairs," Nara explained walking beside her.

"Does she not like guests or something?" Hotaru asked seeing they weren't even half way there.

"Well I don't think she cares about when we come over, but anyone else seems to annoy her according to my brother."

"Who's your brother?"

"Yusuke," Nara said pointing to the boy ahead of them. They fell into silence and finally reached the top and entered the temple, the others finding their belongings already there and unpacked in their own rooms.

"I think he's finally lost it," Yusuke said as Nara and the others left to examine their own rooms. Hotaru found her room, and entered. Inside was a bed, a dresser and an empty bookshelf. She sighed, she would have to do some remodeling later after she bought some belongings and clothes. Maybe repaint the walls, and a different carpet, both of which were a gray cream color, maybe red would be nice. A knock at the door broke her from her thoughts. She opened the door to find Nara.

"Hey Koenma just sent us some money for tomorrow, just to let you know."

Hotaru nodded and invited Nara in, this girl and the others, she had the feeling her life was going to get more and more interesting.


	9. Ningen

The next morning Hotaru woke up and dressed in some of the clothes she had borrowed from Nara, they were a little big for her but they would have to do until she could get something later that day. She was wearing a pair of black jeans and a grey t-shirt. She also borrowed a pair of sneakers from Nara's own borrowed collection from Botan. She completed her look by allowing her hair to flow freely around her shoulders. Besides the pants being too long and the shoes and shirt to big, Hotaru was pleased on how she looked.

A knock at the door alerted her to the time and ran to answer it, and as expected she found Nara standing in her doorway. Her hair pulled back in a pony tail and wearing another pair of jeans Botan had lent her, only these were blue, and a black t-shirt.

"Ready to go?" Nara asked smiling down at her. Hotaru nodded and the two left the temple. They rode inside a large dragon like demon that Nara called a train. But Hotaru knew better and stayed on the alert the entire time.

"Hotaru just relax, it's not the belly of a demon," Nara said exasperatedly.

"That's what it wants you to think," Hotaru said her hands sparking ready to fight, "It'll lure you into a false sense of security and then strike when you least expect it."

"If you say so," Nara said with a sigh. When they had escaped the demons belly Nara led Hotaru into a giant building that Nara had told her was called a 'mall.' Inside Hotaru was in shock, she had never seen so many ningens all in one place!

"Come on," Nara said grabbing Hotaru's arm, "this looks like a good place to start!"

Inside where racks of clothes and other things. Hotaru saw a lot of things that caught her eye and went to go find something that would fit her. With Nara's help they found Hotaru several pairs of pants and shirts, and even a pair of shoes. Nara had also found something for herself and then they moved onto the next store. They were having a lot of fun together as they picked out different clothes for themselves and each other, and decided to take a break and get something to eat. Hotaru devoured her food; this 'fast food' was DELISOUCE!

"Hey Hotaru," Nara said as she watched Hotaru eat like a pig, barely touching her own food.

"What is it Nara?" Hotaru asked wiping her face, "Aren't you hungry?"

"Oh yeah," Nara said picking up a fry and eating it, "it's just I can't get this thought out of my mind…"

"What kind of thought?""Oh nothing," Nara said eating three more fries, "Just things of the past."

"Oh?" Hotaru asked, this was the first time Nara had mentioned anything about her life as a slave to Hotaru. She knew the girl had suffered just as she had, but Nara hadn't said anything until now. Hotaru hadn't expected her to either; they had only just met two days ago.

"Yeah," Nara said her eyes going glassy at the memories, "it's just you seem familiar."

"Yeah you do too, maybe you were that girl after all," Hotaru mused.

"Huh?" Nara said confused, "What girl?"

"Well…" Hotaru began wondering if this was an appropriate time or not, "when I was first brought in and being auctioned off I remember there was this girl that was always beside the auctioneer."

Nara nodded listening to Hotaru's story.

"She was so tiny and looked like she could fall over at any moment, without so much as a warning. I remember thinking we could have been friends and even having a shared mind link at one point. When Yuki took me home with him I slipped into this other world in my mind and the girl was there, she was like my guide. Without her I don't think I would be here today." As Hotaru finished Nara thought for a moment, she didn't remember ever being inside someone else's mind.

"Well I don't know so much about your minds own world, but as for the day you were auctioned off, it was probably me." Hotaru looked at Nara, whose eyes were glazing over as she thought more of her past, "John never went to an auction without me there. After words he would remind me how thankful I should be that he didn't sell me to anyone else and had kept me for himself. Then he would beat me and…" Nara trailed off as the haunting memories of what had happened came to her mind. Hotaru felt guilty for even bringing it up.

"This is getting to saddening for me," she said lazily Nara looked back at her and smiled slightly.

"Yeah, let's just agree it was me you saw and leave it at that."

"Deal."

The rest of their day went smoothly as the two finished up their shopping. As they began to leave the mall they felt tired and their feet hurt but the two smiled at each other as they started their way home, or so Hotaru had believed.

"Hey Nara!" an unfamiliar voice called. Both girls turned to see a short brown haired girl waving at them, two other girls following behind. Hotaru recognized the other two, one was Botan who she had met at Koenma's briefly and the other was Yukina who also lived at Genkai's. Nara smiled as the brown hair girl reached them and gave Nara a friendly hug.

"Hey Nara, who's your friend?"

"Oh this is Hotaru," Nara explained.

"Hotaru?" the other girl said thinking for a moment, "Oh yes! Yusuke had mentioned you all had rescued someone else! Nice to meet you I'm Keiko." Keiko extended a hand for Hotaru who looked at it wearily.

"Don't worry, it won't bite." Hotaru continued to look down at it.

"Hotaru," Nara whispered, "Please tell me you know what a hand shake is."

"Baka," Hotaru whispered back, "of course I do, but I don't know if you ningens do it the same way as we demons do."

"Just shake her hand please before you offend her."

Hotaru did as she was instructed letting go as soon as she was able, she didn't like the unnecessary contact.

"So where are you two headed?" Keiko asked, glancing back at Hotaru who was looking down at her hands.

"Home, we were just leaving the mall."

"Oh no that won't do!" Botan cried out, "You must come with us it'll be a girl bonding experience!"

Both Hotaru and Nara grimaced at this, they were already tired from their long day and spending more time at the mall with a fully energized Botan didn't really appeal to them. But unfortunately for them they were dragged back inside of the mall, whether or not they really wanted to. As they were dragged from store to store, some they had already been to some they didn't even look at, the two captives glanced at each other, trying to find a moment to escape. But sadly for them no help would be arriving this time. They were only set free as the mall had closed for the day.

"God I'm so tired," Nara said as they climbed the never ending staircase together, Yukina following behind.

"Yukina I don't know how you can deal with those two day in and day out," Nara continued tiredly.

"I hate these stairs," was all Hotaru could say as Yukina smiled at Nara in response. As they finally reached the top of the stairs the girls muttered a good night to each other and went off to their own room.

Hotaru collapsed on her bed worn out from her what seemed to be a never ending day, her legs screaming in agony.

"Damn nigen onna…" Hotaru said tiredly falling asleep.

The next morning Hotaru woke up and heard people bustling downstairs. Getting up she walked out of her rooms and down the stairs. She stood in the doorway kitchen as she watched Nara steal some milk from her older brother.

"Thank you big brother!" Nara said sarcastically as she gave him back his own bowl as she found a seat for herself and ate her own breakfast. Hotaru walked in and grabbed a piece of bread.

"Is that all your going to have?" Yusuke asked pointing to her hand, "Bread?"

"No ," Hotaru said her hand sparking a bit and a fire appearing around her breakfast, "toast."

The three at the table sweat dropped at Hotaru as she began to munch happily on her toast.

"You know Hotaru," Nara said carefully, "you could just use a toaster."

"Toaster?"

"This thing here," Yusuke said grabbing a slice of bread and putting it in. Hotaru watched and waited for several minutes before the bread came back up as toast. Hotaru made a disgusted face as she smelt part of the toast had been burnt.

"That was just stupid," Hotaru said stubbornly, "why would you wait so long just for a piece of toast only to have it come back burnt. Not only is my way faster but I've never had burnt toast with it either."

And with that she left the silly ningens with their toaster and burnt toast.


	10. Killer Bees

Hotaru walked outside to explore the land she now called home. Genkai had told her that most of what she saw belonged to her and would one day belong to the team, including her. She felt somewhat honored that even though they had just met Genkai was going to trust her with her beloved land after she passed on.

She walked around the huge forest, following a path so as to not get lost; she would have to wait for another day to explore outside the path.

"Onna," came a harsh voice from above her head, "what do you think you're doing?" Hotaru looked up to find Hiei lounging in the tree above her head.

"Am I not allowed to walk around freely here?" Hotaru asked angrily. She didn't like something about her fellow fire demon, but she didn't know what.

"Hn."

"What?"

"What do you mean what?" Hiei said confused opening a sleeping eye to look down at the confusing woman.

"You said 'hn' clearly either you have a problem with me or you're just too stupid to think of anything else to say."

"I'd watch my tongue if I were you onna," Hiei said darkly, "you wouldn't want to have it come missing."

"Oh," Hotaru said putting her hands on her hips, "so it's not either of the two, you just have a personality complex."

Quick as a flash Hiei came down on Hotaru katana drawn and ready to chop her head off. But Hotaru had seen it coming and had countered with her own fire katana.

"I warned you to watch your tongue onna," Hiei said through gritted teeth.

"Ooh I'm so scared," Hotaru countered with a smirk. She pushed with her fiery weapon and forced Hiei to withdraw his sword, jumping back a safe distance and sheathing his sword. He glared at Hotaru and she glared right back. Hiei was puzzled, usually anyone who received this glare would run to the corner of the room and fall into the fetal position, but this onna sent her own fearsome glare right back.

"Hn," Hiei said turning to walk away as Hotaru sent a fireball flying past his head, nearly singeing his hair.

"Don't 'hn' me, and don't turn your back on me either. I am not so weak that you can just turn away at any moment, you might find that tall hair of yours go missing."

Hiei looked back at her his mouth slightly agape; no woman would dare try and press their luck with him. Not just women but men too, that baka detective and his friend both knew better than to push him, but this woman didn't seem to care how pissed he got. All she cared about it seemed was for him not to underestimate her.

"I don't like you," was all he said as he returned to his spot in the tree.

"Ouch was that supposed to hurt?" Hotaru asked with mock pain.

"Do what you want onna, see if I care."

"Oh I'm so glad I got his majesty's approval," Hotaru said as she stormed off down the forest path.

_'The nerve of that baka,'_ Hotaru thought to herself as she went down the path, '_Just who the hell __does he think__ he is, acting like he could defeat me without breaking a sweat. And the '__hning__' he did, what the hell! Does he think he's so high and mighty that he doesn't need to talk to __people!__'_

Hotaru slowed her pace down as she began to cool off a bit. Once she saw it was getting lat e she decided to leave the forest, seeing as how it might not be the best idea to be out there alone with only a pissed off Hiei knowing where you had gone off to. She turned around and was happy to see that when she returned to where she had run into Hiei, he was no longer there. Continuing out of the forest Hotaru came to a clearing, where she could see the temple from without staining her eyesight. Taking a seat under a big tree she decided to work on her fire technique by focusing her energy throughout her body. This way she would be able to have better control of her fire by having better control over her own energy that created it. Her mind became unfocused as she sensed a familiar presence above her head.

"Can I help you," she asked rather annoyed. Looking up she saw Hiei sitting in the tree right above her head. Hotaru glared at him as he glanced lazily down at her, it was like he was trying to piss her off.

"Hn."

"That does it!" Hotaru said jumping to her feet and throwing a fire ball at Hiei's head, "what the hell is your problem? I leave and find a nice quiet place away from you, and what do you do? You follow me! Do you have a death wish, or is your hobby pissing people off?"

"I always take my afternoon nap here; it's not my fault you're in my spot onna. If you don't like it then you can go," Hiei said with a smirk, making Hotaru even more angry.

'_He's enjoying this!'_ Hotaru thought to herself, '_He's actually trying to see how far he can push me before I turn into a maniac. Well I'm not gonna let him win.'_

"Fine," she said plopping back down in her spot, "then you don't mind if I stay here."

She could sense his disappointment, but he didn't let it show on his features.

"Hn, whatever."

Several minuets went by in a tense silence, a slight buzzing in the background. Hotaru had continued her focus training, but was distracted as Hiei had begun to mess with a bee hive, the cause of the annoying buzzing. Hotaru sighed as she gave up on concentrating and watched Hiei bat the hive around with the hilt of his katana."If they come out and attack you don't look to me for help."

"Hn, you don't think I can handle silly ningen bees," Hiei replied in his usual high and mighty tone that Hotaru came to hate so much.

"I hope they sting you," she said scrunching her face at him and turning away. Just as she did the hive fell from its place in the tree, and several bees swarmed out. Hotaru had expected this, but what she hadn't been expecting was for them to grow and become twice her size.

"Oh great," Hotaru said getting up and preparing to defend herself, "Hiei you baka you just pissed off a whole swarm of demon bees!"

"Shut up onna," Hiei said jumping down from his spot in the tree, "don't you think I've realized this already?"

The two fire demons fought with the bees for several long minuets, when Hotaru sensed Nara coming up behind them.

"Stay back!" was all she yelled before another bee demon came crashing through the trees. She then saw out of the corner of her eye Nara run full speed back to the temple, her shouting something about Kurama.

She didn't know what Kurama had anything to do with the bees but she knew she had to keep fighting these damn insects until they were all dead. Looking over at Hiei she saw most of the bees were attacking him.

_'And they say demon bees are stupid,'_ Hotaru thought, a slight smile coming to her face. A smile that faded quickly as she saw one of the bees come up behind Hiei, who was to focused on the tree or four in front of him to notice.

"Behind you!" Hotaru managed to yell. Hiei turned too late as the bee stung him in his left side, Hotaru was actually worried for his safety for a second, she had heard demon bee's stingers could be fatal for many demons if not treated. She started attacking the bees more violently, and with relief saw Nara and Kurama running to their aid out of the corner of her eye. For what seemed like an hour they fought the bees and what had managed to stay alive retreated.

Hotaru ran over to Hiei whose skin she had noticed was starting to turn purple from the poison. Kurama running over as well, in order to see how bad his friend's condition was.

"Will he be alright?" Nara asked as Kurama picked up the small demon and carried him back to Genkai's.

"He'll be fine after I give him some antidote," Kurama said. Hotaru felt some of her muscles relax as she watched Kurama prepare the antidote once inside the temple. Hiei lying, now unconscious, on the couch. Once Kurama had been sure that Hiei had received enough of the antidote he turned to Hotaru for an explanation.

Hiei was just being a dumb ass," Hotaru said truthfully, "I was sitting under a tree focusing my power on something and Hiei jumped into a tree where a demon bee hive happened to be. Of course he thought it was just a regular bee hive until he trashed it and the swarm came after us." She caught Nara rolling her eyes.

"And here I thought Hiei was smart."

"He is he just wasn't thinking. You cant sense demon bees until its too late, otherwise we would have taken care of the hive a while ago."

"But they were so big, bigger than any human!" Nara yelled confused, "How hard is it to tell the difference!"

"They can alter their size to the size of a normal bee," Kurama explained.

"Oh,"

"But why were they here?" Hotaru asked, while Kurama shrugged.

"I'll talk to Koenma about it next time I see him," Nara said since she was going to see him tomorrow anyway.

The rest of the day went by as if nothing had happened; they had agreed not to mention it to the others until they knew what was going on. As for Hiei, he woke up just as the rest of the gang was returning. Hotaru keeping a wary eye on him the rest of the night. Much to Hiei's annoyance.

"Onna," he said finally, "do you mind?

"No," Hotaru said tilting her head tilting her head slightly, "you know Hiei, you're lucky they weren't demon horses you pissed off."

A/N: Ok I have to bring this up because I find it rather funny, but as I was writing this Dane Cook popped in my head. It was his "Would You Rather" joke with people getting killed by bees and how he would punch every bee in the face. So as I'm writing this I was in tears, from laughing of course, on how Dane might handle my little demon bees here. So for those of you who know who he is think about that, and if you don't I weep for you my friend.


End file.
